Summer stunners

Goldsturm is a reliable, long-lived perennial.

A mass planting of black-eyed susans at Holland Park, Surrey, B.C.

Rudbeckias attract birds, bees and butterflies to the garden.

The cones in the middle of flowers are tiny florets.

Denver Daisy is a stunning annual Rudbeckia.

Little Goldstar is a cute, short & compact reliable perennial.

'Prairie Sun' is an annual rudbeckia, also referred to as a gloriosa daisy.

Hortensia cutleaf coneflower is a tall Rudbeckia that prefers moist soil.

A the rear is the annual 'Indian Summer' with the perennial ‘Little Goldstar' in the foreground.

'Goldsturm' is an award winning perennial favourite.

'Toto' is a compact annual black-eyed susan.

'Autumn Colours' is a bicolour annual rudbeckia.

'Autumn Sun', 'Herbstsonne', is a tall & reliable perennial Rudbeckia.

Foliage from the cutleaf coneflower (R. lanciniata) is aptly named.

Common Name: black-eyed Susans, rudbeckias, gloriosa daisy
Botanical Name: Rudbeckia spp.
Form:   upright, vase shape with round top
Family: Asteraceae, sunflower family
Genus: Rudbeckia
Species: numerous
Plant Type:  annual or perennial depending on species
Mature Size: depends on variety, species, cultivar
Growth: fast
Origin: North America
Hardiness Zone: perennials Zones 4 to 9
Foliage: leaves with coarse hairs, light green, simple, entire
Flowers: composite, yellow petals surrounding a black disks comprised of tiny florets. 
Propagation: seeds, basal cuttings, division
Stems: green with short coarse hairs
Exposure: full sun best
Soil: depends on species 
Water: drought resistant once established
Uses: cut flowers , containers, woodlands, rock gardens, meadows, mixed borders, cottage, wild, meadows, massing, containers
Attracts: pollinators, birds, butterflies,
Invasive Tendencies:  R. laciniata
Resistant to: deer & rabbits
Propagation:  seeds, basal cuttings and root divisions in fall
Pruning: Remove spent flowers to prolong the flowering period, cut back stems before stems grow in spring
​Problems: Powdery mildew
Comments:
Rudbeckias are the bright stars of the garden when the heat of the summer has taken its toll on other plants. There are approximately 25 Rudbeckia species, and all are native to North America. Some are hardy perennials, while others are short-lived perennials or annuals.

Rudbeckia flowers vary in size, petal count and colour. Species rudbeckias just have one layer of petals, however there are varieties and cultivars with semi-double and double blossoms.

Black-eyed Susan’s sunny yellow flowers vary in size depending on the cultivar. Plant breeders have developed stunning cultivars with bicolour blossoms with yellow petals with flushed with shades of orange, bronze, red and gold. In the middle of this daisy-like, composite flower is a central cone, hence the common name ‘coneflower’. Although it appears to be black, it’s a deep dark brown. Leave the seed heads on at the end of the season for the birds. They will also self-seed, which is perfect for naturalized areas.
 
Rudbeckia hirta is a short-lived Missouri wildflower that grows to 3 ft by 2 ft. Hardy to USDA Zones 4 to 9. Three-inch-wide flowers have chocolate-coloured cones with yellow ray petals. Plant in full sun in well-drained soil. Drought  tolerant and will rot in wet soils.

• ‘Cherokee Sunset’ is a multicoloured cultivar with orange, mahogany and yellow petals. Their large semi-double and double flowers can grow to 5” wide. It is a half-hardy annual from USDA Zones 5 to 9.
• ‘Prairie Sun’ has 5” blossoms pale green cones surrounded by petals that change colour from peach to yellow. It grows to 3 feet and is hardy from USDA Zones 5 to 8. AAS 2003 winner.
• 'Indian/Second Summer', gloriosa daisy, 6-9” bicoloured yellow, orange, red, bronze flowers, USDA Zone: 3 to 7
• 'Autumn Colors', an annual with 5 in. wide bicolour flower in shades of orange, red, brown and yellow. Brown cones. Compact, 1.5 to 2 ft. tall and 1 to 1.5 ft. wide.
• Rudbeckia hirta ‘Toto’: A compact annual, grows to 10 inches, fragrant 2 to 3 inch yellow, orange or mahogany coloured petals with a chocolate brown central disk

Rudbeckia fulgida produces blooms up to 4” across from late July to the end of September. This is a long lived, hardy and dependable black-eyed Susan that grows to 3’. Needs full sun with good draining soil as it will rot in wet soil.

• ‘Goldsturm’ is a notable cultivar that received the Perennial Plant of the Year by the Perennial Plant Association.
• ‘Little Goldstar’ is a compact cultivar that grows 14 to 16 inches.

Rudbeckia lanciniata, cutleaf coneflower, prefers full sun locations with moist soils as it naturally grows along streambanks, floodplains and moist forests. They grow to over 6 feet with big yellow flowers with drooping petals.

• 'Autumn Sun', 'Herbstsonne', bears large golden daisies, 4-7ft x 3-5 ft. Blooms for midsummer into fall. Attractive seedheads. Winner of the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit. Deer resistant. USDA Zones 3 to 9.
• 'Hortensia', 3-5” blossoms with many drooping yellow petals. Long blooming period from summer into autumn.  USDA Zones 3 to 9.

Seed heads provide food for birds during the fall and winter.

A mass planting of perennial black-eyed Susans.

Not all rudbeckias have a brown cone as with 'Compter's Gold'.

Drooping petals & greenish cone of a Herbstone rudbeckia.

Pretty Little Goldstar is a fab perennial black-eyed Susan.

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